Brace for roundabouts and analogous structures.



IBM-850,431.

HBRSGHELL.

BRAGE FOR IROUNDABOUTS AND ANALOGOUSUSTRUOTURES. APPLIOATION i ILBD' MAR. 1-2, 1906.

: l2 ZofneyS.

' PATENTED APR. 16, 1907,

ALLAN HERSCI-IELL, OF NORTH TONAWANDA,

IIERSOHELL-SPILLMAN COMPANY, 0

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO F N OBTI-I TONAWANDA, N EW YORIQ BRACE FOR ROUNDABOUTS AND ANALQGOUS STRUCTURES- Specification of Letters Patent.

iratented April 16, 1907.

' Application filed March 12, 1906. Serial No. 305,571.

To 0/7] whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALLAN I-IERsonELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Braces for Boundabouts and Analogous Structures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to brace constructions of the kind employed in roundabouts, merry-go-rounds, and analogous structures for securing the platform or floor upon which persons walk in entering and leaving the machine to the supporting arms, sweeps, or members of the machineframe. Structures of this character are frequently moved from place to place, being set up for a time at one place and then taken apart, moved, and set up in a new location.

While the machines must be strongly built to guard against possible accident to the populace, it is desirable that the parts thereof be capable of ready detachment and attachment, so as to enable the machine to be quickly and easily dismantled and again set up.

The object of this invention is to provide an absolutely secure and rigid brace or hanger connection between the platform and frame arms or sweeps, in which the braces can be very quickly and easily attached and detached.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a roundabout in which the platform is connected to the sweeps by braces embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, enlarged, of a portion of the platform and one sweep and the-connecting-braces. Fig. 3 is aperspective view, on an enlarged scale, of one end of one brace and the attaching-plate therefor, the two being detached. Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating a slightly-modified construction.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the supporting arms or sweeps of a roundabout, merry-go-round, or analo gous structure, B the circular platform, floor, or rim upon which persons step in en tering and leaving the machine, and C the braces connecting the platform and sweeps. In the apparatus illustrated the sweeps radiate from a hub rotatably supported on a center pole a and are supported near their outer ends by wheels I), which are journaled in brackets depending from the sweeps and travel upon a circular track I) on the ground, and the platform B is supported below the sweeps by the braces C and the bearing brackets for the wheels 6; but this construction is not essential to the invention.

Two of the braces C are provided at the outer end of each sweep, and they diverge or spread laterally downwardly and also incline outwardly from their connections with the sweep to their connections with the platform, each brace having a substantially upright upper end a for attachment to the sweep and a substantially horizontal foot 0' for attachment to the platform, similar to the braces heretofore used. In the old constructions the lower ends of the braces are bolted to the platform, and the upper ends of each pair are secured to the sweep by two bolts passing through the sweep and braces. Considerable time is required to remove and replace the bolts for the upper ends of the braces, and the bolts are frequently lost, thus causing much inconvenience.

In the construction forming the subject of this invention the feet 0 of the braces are fastened to the platform by bolts d, as usual; but instead of bolting the upper ends of the braces to the sweeps they are detachably connected therewithin the following man ner: Brace plates or brackets F are fastened to opposite sides of the sweep in any suitable manner conveniently by connecting-bolts f passing through the sweep, and the upper ends of the braces are attached to the plates by proiections on the one detachably engaging in slots in the other. Each of the brackets or plates F (shown In Figs. 13) has a headed stud or projection extending laterally therefrom, which engages in a keyhole-slot g in the upper end of the brace. T o attach the brace, the large portion of the slot is passed over the head of the stud, and the brace is then lowered, so that the stud enters the narrow portion of the slot and its foot bolted to the platform. Each bracket-plate is also provided with upright side flanges h, between which the upper end of the brace is confined and which hold the brace rigidly from side movement on the stud. The braces cannot, therefore, swing or sway on the studs, and

the platform is as stable as if the braces were permanently bolted to the sweeps.

As above explained and as shown in the drawings, the braces incline outwardly or away from the center of the machine, so that the weight of the platform tends to pull them down to a vertical position, thereby causing the upper ends of the braces to bind between the side flanges of the brace-plates in such manner as to prevent any possibility of the braces being lifted and disengaged from the headed studs. The opposite outward inclination of the braces at diametrically opposite sides of the platform prevents any lateral shifting of the latter in either direction, and the structure is very rigid and strong notwithstanding the ready detachability of the braces. To detach the braces, their lower ends are unbolted, after which the braces can be lifted and disengaged from the headed studs.

The construction shown in Fig. l differs from that described, in that the side flanges are omitted from the brace-plates, and each plate is provided with two headed studs or projections 1, adapted to enter correspondingly-disposed keyhole-slots t in the upper end of the brace. This construction acts similarly to hold the brace very rigidly and securely, While at the same time enabling the ready attachment and detachment of the brace.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a frame member and a platform, of se arate connecting-braces for the same secure to one of said members, and plates secured to the other member, said braces and plates having separate interlocking parts which are shaped to be disengaged and a platform, of a connecting-brace for the same secured to one of said members, and a plate secured to the other member, said brace and plate having interlocking parts consisting of a headed stud on the one and a keyholeslot 1n the other, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a frame member and a platform, of a connecting-brace for the same secured to one of said members, and a plate secured to the other member, a projection on said late having an enlarged portion, and sai brace having a slot shaped to receive and hold said projection, substan tially as set forth.

4. The combination with a frame member and a platform, of a connecting-brace for the same secured to one of said members, a plate secured to the other member, said brace and plate having interlocking parts consisting of a headed stud on the one and a keyhole-slot in the other, and means for holding said brace and plate from a relative swinging movement, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination with a sweep and a platform, of a connecting-brace for the same secured to said platform, a plate secured to said sweep, a headed stud on said plate, and said brace having a keyhole-slot to receive and hold said stud, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 3d day of March, 1906.

ALLAN HERSCHELL.

WVitnesses:

v F. l/V. FRITsonE,

W. WV. KLINGENSOHMITT. 

